Sportsmanship

Probably some of you will earn the Sports merit badge this month. If so, the first thing you'll have to do, is understand what sportsmanship is, because it's the first requirement. I'd like to read you a little story from the Sports merit badge pamphlet which sums up sportsmanship very well. Here's the story.

"In 1940, an underdog Dartmouth football team played powerful Cornell, which needed only one more victory for a perfect season and a number-one ranking in the country. Trailing 3-0 Cornell scored a controversial touchdown that the Dartmouth players insisted was made on an extra "fifth down". However the referee counted the touchdown, and Cornell won 7-3.

But after the game, Cornell officials watched the game on film and saw that, indeed their team had been allowed and extra play. They immediately sent a telegram to Dartmouth stating that they could not accept the victory. It went into the record book as a 3-0 victory for Dartmouth. "

That little story tells us what sportsmanship really is. It is the desire to play hard and to win - but to win fairly - and if you lose, to accept defeat with good grace. Let's remember that during our Sports Tourney and throughout our lives. Also remember, that to be a good sport you have to lose to prove it.